Business Leadership Awards

Chairperson's Award

Chance Mitchell

This year’s Chairperson’s Award goes to Chance Mitchell and Justin Nelson, co-founders of the Washington-based National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBT community in the United States. Chance, the CEO, and Justin, the President, have worked tirelessly over the last 13 years to build what is now the largest LGBT economic advocacy and business development organization in the world. In addition to over 45 LGBT affiliate chambers in the United States representing 1.4 million LGBT business owners in that country, the NGLCC supports economic development opportunities globally through partnerships with over a dozen international affiliates. The organization is responsible for major victories for the LGBT business community in the U.S., including the first inclusion of LGBT suppliers in contracting opportunities with a state government.

Justin Nelson

Icon Award

Ed Clark

This year’s Icon Award winner is Ed Clark, C.M. Order of Canada. As President and CEO of TD Bank Group from 2002 to 2014, Ed Clark went above and beyond in making sure diversity and inclusion were part of the bank’s DNA. Internally, that meant making sure the bank’s own LGBT+ employees were acknowledged and supported. As a result, TD now has one of the largest LGBT+ employee resource groups of any company in Canada. Externally, the bank has been active in pride organizations and LGBT chambers and business organizations across Canada. And Ed Clark himself has publicly reminded other corporate leaders about the importance of inclusion and diversity in business.

Watch Ed Clark's acceptance speech

National Corporation of the Year Nominees

The National Corporation of the Year award is given to a company of 1,000 or more employees operating in at least three provinces or territories that has shown commitment to the LGBT community by providing programs and/or services specific to the LGBT+ community (including their own employees) and by helping LGBT+ businesses to grow and prosper.

Nominees for this year's award are:

Borden Ladner Gervais LLPThe company was nominated for its ongoing commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive environment for LGBT employees, its willingness to work within the legal industry to collaborate on initiatives that share best practices, and its general support for those most marginalized within the LGBT community. While many Canadian employers have an approach that disproportionately addresses challenges related to sexual orientation, the firm is taking a stand for those who are often excluded even within LGBT communities. This shows leadership in a crowded landscape of firms seeking to distinguish themselves as leaders in the area of LGBT inclusion.

IBMIBM was nominated because of its strong and longstanding commitment to LGBT diversity and inclusion. In 1984, it became one of the first companies to include sexual orientation as part of its commitment to non-discrimination, and in 1993 IBM Canada began offering full domestic partner benefits to gays and lesbians. IBM was recently named the world’s most LGBT-inclusive employer by Workplace Pride. Claudia Brind-Woody, an ‘out’ executive and co-chair of IBM’s Global LGBT Council, ranked fourth on the Out At Work - Top 50 LGBT Executives. Through IBM’s leadership efforts in Canada and around the world, the company has been successful driving change for LGBT equality in the workplace and in the communities in which it operates.

RBC Royal Bank - WINNERRBC was nominated because of its exemplary business and community leadership and its focus on making sure the communities in which it operates are better places to live and work. In 2016, RBC was named one of the Best Workplaces in Canada for the eighth year in a row. Throughout the years, RBC has been a long-time supporter of the LGBT community in Canada in numerous ways and is a leader of diversity in Canada. RBC supports it employees through its employee resource group, named PRIDE. PRIDE’s mission is to contribute to creating a positive, inclusive and sustainable work environment for LGBT+ employees so they can contribute fully to RBC. More than 2,400 RBC employees belong to PRIDE.

National Business Leader of the Year Nominees

﻿National Business Leader AwardThis award celebrates an individual in business, who has made a significant contribution to the LGBTQI community in Canada. The contribution may be through business or volunteer activities with a corporation, educational institution, association, or non-profit agency.

Nominees for this year's award are:

Michael Bach

Michael BachMichael is the Founder & CEO of Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. Previously he was the head of diversity for KPMG (Canada) for 7 years, and the deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International for 2 ½ years. Michael has played an active role in the LGBT community for his entire adult life. He founded Pride at Work Canada, a national non-profit that helps employers create LGBT inclusive workplaces. He was one of the founders of pride@KPMG, exeQutive, and volunteered with the LGBT Youth Line, NYC LGBT Anti-Violence Project, and the AIDS Committee of Toronto, among others.

Sky Bridges

Sky BridgesSky identifies as two-spirit from the Metis Nation with Cree and Blackfoot bloodlines. His current role is Chief Operating Officer at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) in Winnipeg. He was instrumental in the development of Aboriginal Day Live, APTN’s premier celebration of National Aboriginal Day. Sky has held many positions in the broadcast industry, covering both the private sector with Pride Vision TV and the public sector with the CBC. He has volunteered for various LGBT community groups and currently serves on the board of the United Way Winnipeg and of the Women in Communications and Technology.​

Paul Skippen

Paul Skippen - WINNERPaul is a partner in Deloitte’s Risk Advisory Group, leading the Financial Crimes Risk practice. In 2011, as partner sponsor, he helped the Out On Bay Street student and young professional group launch the Deloitte’s Leaders to be Proud of Awards and Gala. This award recognizes senior and successful professional who happen to be LGBT and their advocates and allies – who are role models and potential mentors to the student group. Earlier in his career he helped to found Accenture’s pride network and is an active member in Deloitte’s pride network. A father of two children, of note, he helped to rewrite both firm’s parental leave policy to enable LGBT parents to take a full leave equal to the traditional firm maternity leave policy.